Propeller system



Dec. 29, 1942. w. WATERVAL PROPELLER SYSTEM Filed Dec. 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR\AI WLZLiam Wafervab.

ATTEIR'NEY Dec. 29, 1942. w w v I 2,306,840

PROPELLER SYSTEM Filed Dec. 1'7, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 20 47 BY wlkgo gn ATTDR'NEY 0 O 0 William WaIerzIaL' Patented Dec. 29, 1942 UNITED STATES tries 2 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in propellers, and constitutes a further improvement of my invention, patented June 29, 1937, under No. 2,085,282.

A purpose in connection with my said invention is to permit the use of a smaller engine, cupying less space, and using less fuel, but which will nevertheless in connection with my improved propeller construction show a better performance in operation than it has hitherto been possible to obtain.

Another object of my invention is to provide an oil-cooling system in connection with the propeller and as an integral part of the construction of the latter, as will hereinafter be more fully described.

The propeller proper, which may be termed a four-in-one-built-up propeller, may be made with two, three, or more blades, which may be straight or curved, or provided with a twist, and which may be given any suitable pitch.

The said propeller system can be built in any size, suitable for large or small boats; and is, also, adaptable for outboard motors.

This propeller system is, however, especially useful, when applied to life-saving boats, where it is of the utmost importance that they should have as much available space as possible, and in regard to which it may be considered a distinct innovation to provide those with engine-propelled means.

Provision has been made to embody said boats with re-enforced means at the stern portion thereof, for securing the propeller system solidly in position, and also in order to prevent that water-spray be thrown in over the rear ends of the boats.

As my devised improvements are comparatively simple of construction, the cost of manufacturing should be proportionately low.

With the above and other objects in View, this invention consists of the novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter fully described, claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, and in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of an outer shell, forming part of my invention, and showing the arrangement of oil-coils therein in dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of said outer shell, showing two sets of oil-coils in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is a sectional view of the outer shell, taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a front elevation of the inside gear, partly in section, showing ball bearings on gear, propeller blades, hub, and propeller blade-fastenings to the inside rim of the gear wheel.

Figure 5 is a front elevation of a propeller blade.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a propeller hub.

Figure '7 is a side elevation of apropeller hub.

Figure 8 is a side elevation of a boat, showing a typical application of my present invention to the same.

Figure 9 is a rear elevation of a boat, taken on the line 99 in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of the outer shell, as shown in Figure '11.

Figure 11 is a front elevation of an outer shell, with part broken off, showing gear housing and pinion-gear housing cast in one unit, with stiffening member to be fastened to a boat, and, also, showing part of propeller blade, gear teeth and ball bearings.

Figure 12 is a side elevational view, with part broken off, taken on the line l2l 2 of Figure 11, and showing, also, gear teeth and ball bearings.

Figure 13 is a detail sectional view of the stiffening fins, taken on the line I.'il3 of Figure 10.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 26 indicates a housing surrounding a rotary propeller 2| and a pinion gear 38.

The propeller is, what may be termed a built up propeller, as it consists of a hub portion 30, which has integrally formed thereon wings 3i 3|, as may be seen in the Figures 6 and 7, adapted to receive therebetween propeller blades 32, secured to said wings by means of screws, or bolts 33; holes 34 and 34 being provided in the wings and blades, respectively, to accommodate said bolts. While one end of the propeller blade is secured to the hub, the other end thereof is secured to lugs 35 depending from the propeller rim 36. Screws, or bolts 33' secure said latter end of the propeller blade in position, that is connected to the lug, as shown in Figure 3'.

The rim 36 is provided with ball bearings 31, and teeth 39 adapted to mesh with the teeth 25 in the pinion gear 38 for the sake of operation, as may especially be seen in Figure 11.

The rim 36 is formed with a number of inner annular depressions 9 therein; said depressions are in turn connected by a small inner groove ll. The large depressions as well as the groove are open inwardly and adapted to have placed therein an oil coil 42, which is wound upon itself in the large depressions, as shown at 43, but is otherwise strung along in the groove; said coil, which thus under the circumstances serves as a cooling means for the oil leads to the engine (not shown), as indicated by the elongated parts 44 in Figure 1, which parts thus emerge from the rim portion.

The oil coil is held in place by plates 45, detachably fastened over the large depressions 40 in any suitable manner, and by lugs 46 fastened over the single oil coil in the groove 4|, as may also be seen in Figure 1.

The housing 20 is fastened to the lower part of the boat by means of projections 41, while at the top of said housing a flaring fin-shaped bifurcated member 48 integral withsaid housing extends upon each side of the boat as shown at 49; said fin-shaped member is secured to the boat by means of screw-bolts 50.

The propeller system will lend itself to be operated as a combination engine power and hand gear, as well as an independent engine power, or hand gear, by means of clutches.

It is obvious that as the flow of water continuously changes in regard to the propeller, a most efiective oil cooling system is thus obtained.

t is apparent that slight changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts, as shown, within the scope of the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not, therefore, wish to limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described herein.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States,

1. In a propelling system for ships, an annular rotatable member, and a pinion gear adapted to mesh with the latter, a number of blades mounted in said annular member, and means for securing said blades to the latter, a housing surrounding the annular member and pinion gear, said housing being upon its inner side formed with a number of oblong. depressions therein, a groove connecting said depressions, and an oil coil arranged in said groove and depressions, and means at the topand bottom of said housing for securing the latter to a ship.

. the latter and the pinion gear, said housing being formed with substantially rectangular depressions therein adapted to receive an oil coil, and a birfurcated fin-shaped portion integral with the upper end of the housing, whereby to secure the latter to a ship.

WILLIAM WATERVAL. 

